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Centre, Assam to rebuild flood-hit Dima Hasao roads with Rs 3,875-Cr package

Centre had cleared the project in 2022 to rebuild roads wrecked by that year’s devastating floods

By The Assam Tribune
Centre, Assam to rebuild flood-hit Dima Hasao roads with Rs 3,875-Cr package
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A file image of a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (Photo: @CMOfficeAssam/ X)

Guwahati, June 4: To rebuild roads wrecked by recurring floods in Dima Hasao, the government has announced a Rs 3,875-crore package to the hill district, on Wednesday.

The project aims to upgrade a total of 348 km, including five key roads - the highest-ever allocation by the state for the region.

“This is the highest amount an Assam government has ever allocated to the hill district. The tendering process is complete, and work will start after monsoon,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, during a post-Cabinet press briefing at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati.

Sarma said the Centre will bear 80% of the cost, with the remaining 20% to be funded by the state. “The Centre, through assistance from the World Bank, will provide 80% of the funding. The rest will be contributed by the state government,” he added.

The project, approved by the Centre in December 2022, aims to rebuild roads severely damaged during the devastating floods that year.

The reconstruction will also cover 11 wooden bridges and several small stretches, Sarma had said earlier during a review meeting with the Public Works (Roads) Department on one of his visits to the district.

The devastating 2022 floods and landslides had ravaged the district, causing damage worth Rs 1,000 crore in the district, according to official data. Incessant rains had disrupted key road and rail links, including the New Haflong Railway Station — the district’s lifeline.

Calling the allocation “good news” for the people of the district, the Chief Minister expressed confidence that the development would boost the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prospects in the 2026 Assembly elections.

“After receiving such an allocation, we’re confident the people will vote for us,” he said, responding to a question about the party’s electoral outlook.

Other key announcements of June-4 cabinet meet -

  • Designation Change: Superintendent of Police will now be redesignated as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)
  • BTC Package: Rs 843 crore sanctioned for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC)
  • University Approval: Nod given for Swahid Kanaklata Barua University at Bholaguri Tea Estate, Gohpur
  • Farm Sector Support: One-time grant of Rs 15 lakh each to 300 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Farm Produce Companies (FPCs) under the Mukhya Mantri Utkarsh Yojana
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